Jaipur: Rajasthan's Higher Education Department has directed government colleges to organise essay and extempore speech competitions on the flagship schemes of the state government to celebrate its four-year term.

The Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government will complete four years in the state on December 13.

In an order issued to the principals of government colleges last week, the department also directed them to widely publicise the competitions and submit a one-page report along with photographs and videos of the events.

It asked the principals to organise the competitions at district level and award the winners.

The order also set up 33 colleges as nodal centres and their principals were asked to ensure that both the competitions were organised by December 20.

Topics for the essay competition are 'Bhamashah Yojana' and 'Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Yojana'. For the extempore speech competition the topics are 'Mukhyamantri Rajshri Yojana', 'Annapurna Rasoi Yojana' and 'Rajasthan Sampark Yojana' and other schemes lauched by the BJP government.

In the extempore competition, other flagship schemes run by the government could also be included, the order said.

The higher education department said the participation of each government college should be ensured.

Reacting to the order, Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot alleged that it was an act of "sheer desperation" by the chief minister and it forced young students to write and appreciate government's flagship programmes.

Her alleged that the four years of BJP government in the state was full of corruption, inefficiency, atrocities against women.

"I'm against it and condemn the order. The order must be withdrawn immediately," he added.